Playing card selection apparatus

ABSTRACT

An apparatus is provided for support of and use in random selection of playing cards. The device is self-contained and portable and includes a battery powered motor. Provision is made for removably fixing dry cells to the apparatus and two push buttons are included for completing an electrical circuit for oppositely imparting rotational motion in either of two directions to both a playing card holder and an indicator. The playing card holder and the playing card indicator are both rotated oppositely with respect to each other under the action of the battery powered motor as long as either of the push buttons remain depressed. The powered counterrotation of the coaxially mounted card holder and card indicator aids in establishing a random relationship between the indicator and a playing card held within the playing card holder upon the motor ceasing to impart rotational motion to the card holder and the card indicator thereby providing for a random selection of playing cards held within said holder. The apparatus may be used for selection of cards for standard card games or for the selection of fortunetelling cards or the like.

United States atent 1191 Piazza et al.

[ 1 PLAYING CARD SELECTION APPARATUS [76] Inventors: Nicholas F. Piazza, 13 Alpine Way,

Huntington Station, NY. 11746; Vincent Stano, 13 Leaf Ln., Levittown, NY. 1 1756 22 Filed: May 7,1973

21 Appl. No.: 357,819

[52] 11.8. (11...... 273/141 A, 273/142 R, 273/148 A, 273/152 R, 273/161 [51] Int. Cl A631 1/06, A63f 5/04 [58] Field of Search 273/141 A, 141 R, 142 H, 273/142 HA, 142 R, 142 A, 142 B, 142 C,

142 D, 142 E, 142 R142 G, 142 J, 142 JA,

142 JB,142 JC,142 JD, 142 K, 149 R, 149

P, 148 R, 148 A, 138 A, 138 R, 134 E, 134 ES Oct. 15, 1974 Primary Examiner-Anton O. Oechsle Assistant Examiner-Harold W. Kramer Attorney, Agent, or FirmAmster & Rothstein [57] ABSTRACT An apparatus is provided for support of and use in random selection of playing cards. The device is selfcontained and portable and includes a battery powered motor. Provision is made for removably fixing dry cells to the apparatus and two push buttons are in cluded for completing an electrical circuit for oppositely imparting rotational motion. in either of two directions to both a playing card holder and an indicator. The playing card holder and the playing card indi cator are both rotated oppositely with respect to each other under the action of the battery powered motor as long as either of the push buttons remain depressed. The powered counterrotation of the coaxially mounted card holder and card indicator aids in establishing a random relationship between the indicator and a playing card held within the playing card holder upon the motor ceasing to impart rotational motion to the card holder and the card indicator thereby providing for a random selection of playing cards held within said holder. The apparatus may be used for selection of cards for standard card games or for the selection of fortune-telling cards or the like.

9 Claims, 10 Drawing Figures PATENIEU um I 5 P374 SHEET 2 0F 4 FIG. 2

The present invention relates generally v to card games, and in particular to an apparatus for use in selection of playing cards usable in card games.

Various games are played wherein playing cards are used carrying standard" or non-standard indicia thereon. The variety of games which exist wherein the so-called standard indicia appear on the playing cards are well known. A standard number of playing cards is fifty-two comprised of four different suits (hearts, diamonds, clubs and spades) in each of thirteen different cards varying in numerical order from one or Ace through ten and three picture cards (Jack, Queen and King).

The number of games which may be played using the aforementioned standard deck of fifty-two cards is virtually as large as human imagination can devise and includes such standard games as Poker, Black Jack, or Twenty-One as well as others too numerous and well known to mention. In addition, some card decks are formed of some, though not all, of the standard cards and are used to play specific games, for example, nis c le V WW In addition to the standard playing cards described above, various non-standard or special playing cards exist. One of the more popular non-standard decks of playing cards includes a set or deck of twenty-twopictorial illustrations used in fortune-telling or prognostication and called Tarot cards. The Tarot cards are laid out on a board or in a certain pre-determined pattern with the position and location of the cards within the pattern being used to predict the future.

A European variation of Tarot is entitled Tarok and utilizes up to seventy-eight cards wherein the twentytwo Tarot cards are combined with either forty, fiftytwo, or fifty-six of the standard" cards and utilized to predict the future or tell a fortune.

In the play of virtually any card game, it is both desirable and necessary to assure that the selection of the cards, in whatever manner, occurs in a random fashion. Most usually, this random selection of cards is accomplished by attempting to randomly orient the cards in a random positional location within the deck. This random' positional location is generally accomplished by allowing the playing cards to slide one over the other in random fashion or by dividing the single deck into two smaller decks and interleaving the members of one small deck at random with the members of the other small deck. These procedures are generally known as shuffling of the playing cards and do not result in true random locational orientation of the cards within the deck due to many factors including lack of dexterity of the shuffler.

As random orientation of the cards within the deck is a desirable and necessary quantum, various mechanical shufflers" have been devised to accomplish the random orientation wherein a deck of cards is supposedly randomly arranged. In actuality, the mechanical shufflers which exist do not provide the much-desired truly randomly-arranged deck.

In most card games, cards are generally selected for play by being removed seriatim from the deck starting with the uppermost card. It would certainly be advantageous and increase the random nature of the playing cards chosen if a randomly-arranged series of playing cards could be randomly selected with ease.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for randomly selecting playing cards whether said cards are randomly arranged or arranged in order.

It is a more particular object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for randomly selecting playing cards by the use of a counter-rotating combination of a playing card holder and a playing card indicator.

It is still another object of the present invention to provide a random playing card selection apparatus which is portable,inexpensive to produce and effortless to use.

In accordance with an illustrative embodiment demonstrating object and features of the present invention, there is provided an apparatus for use in the selection of playing cards comprising a base, a card holder and a card indicator. The card holder includes equidistant circumferentially spaced means for receiving a plurality of playing cards in a generally upstanding attitude. The card holder is mounted for rotation in either of two directions with respect to the base. The card indicator includes a designating end and is mounted for coaxial rotation in an opposite direction with respect to the base. The card indicator is constructed and arranged so that the designating end thereof passes proximate to the playing card receiving means for use in designating a playing card. Means are further provided for concurrently imparting rotational motion to the card holder and the card indicator with respect to the base.

The above brief description as well as further objects, features and advantages of the present invention will be more fully understood by reference to the following detailed description of the presently preferred, but nontheless illustrative embodiment inaccordance with the present invention, when taken'in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein:

FIG. 1 is an exploded perspective view of a representative form of the present invention showing a rotatable card holder with a playing card receptacle and a playing card aligned in registry therewith;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the representative form of the inventionshown in FIG. I with the parts thereof shown assembled;

FIG. 3 is an end view, on an enlarged scale, of a representative playing card receptacle of the present invention shown in place in a card holder with a playing card in place therein;

FIG. 4 is a fragmentary perspective view, with parts thereof shown in section, of an alternate embodiment of a card holder of the present invention showing the drive means for said card holder and indicator;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of an alternate embodiment of a card holder of the present invention;

FIG. 6 is a sectional elevation view of a card holder of the present invention showing an alternate embodiment of the drive means therefor;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary perspective view showing an indicating device for use with an alternate embodiment of the present invention in place within a portion of the game base;

FIG. 8 is a view taken substantially along the line 8-8 of FIG. 7 and looking in the direction of the arrows.

FIG. 9 is an exploded fragmentary perspective view of an alternate form of the present invention showing a method of support and assembly of a playing card receptacle; and

FIG. is a fragmentary perspective view showing an alternate drive assembly for the present invention.

Referring now specifically to the drawing and first to FIGS. 1 and 2 there is shown an illustrative random playing card selector embodying features of the present invention, generally designated by the reference numeral 10, which includes a base 12, adapted to be supported on a table or the like (not shown), which is disclosed as generally rectangular but which, of course, may be of any convenient shape. The base 12 includes a rectangular top wall 14 which has two each of long and short side walls l6, 18 depending from opposite sides thereof.

The entire card selector 10 may be made portable and, to this end, a handle l-l may be affixed one of the sides 16 (see FIG. 2), or one of the sides 18 to aid in transporting the apparatus. To further aid in the ease of transporting the selector 10 and apparatus associated therewith, for example playing cards C, drawers 20, 22 may be provided (as shown) in one each of the long and short depending side walls 16, 18 respectively.

A disc-like, generally cylindrical card holder 24 of relatively small axial extent includes a plurality of equidistant, circumferentially spaced openings 26 therein which extend partially radially inward of the outer edge 28 of the card holder. There may be any convenient numberof openings 26 such as, for example, seventyeight openings if the selector 10 is to be used for the game of Tarok.

A playing card receptacle and support 30 includes a relatively plane upper support section 32 and a curved lower clamp section 34 which defines a card-holding area therebetween for use in retaining a card C therein when the receptacle and support 30 is positioned within the opening 26 in the card holder 24 (see FlG. 3).

A split ring motor-mounting bracket 34 is fastened to the base 12 by threaded motor-mount bolts 36 attached thereto. The bolts 36 project through corresponding openings 38 within the top wall 14 of the base 12 and lockwashers 40 and nuts 42 are threaded thereon to fasten the bracket 34. An electric motor 44 of conventional design which includes a threaded output shaft 46 is held within'the split ring motor mount 34 by the action of a bolt and nut 48, 49 passing through an opening 50 in the mount tightening the split ring thereabout.

In the assembled condition of the selector 10, the threaded output shaft 46 of the motor 44 projects through an opening 51 in the top wall 14 of the base 12. A combination bearing and drive gear 52 includes a threaded opening 53 therein and gear teeth 54 on the radially outermost surface thereof. The gear-bearing 52 is threaded on the motor shaft 46 and the card holder 24 is placed with a central opening 56 thereof over the shaft 46 of the motor 44.

62, has an opening 64 therein which is threaded to permit mating with the threaded output shaft 46. The indicator 58 thus-turns in the same rotational direction as the threaded shaft 46 when the motor 44 is electrically energized as described in greater detail hereinafter. A retaining nut 66 is threaded on the exposed end of the motor shaft 46 to retain the indicator 58 and a retaining nut cover 68 is placed thereover for the sake of appearance.

A clear dome 70, fashioned of plastic or the like, includes four circumferentially spaced mounting extensions 72 which mate with four equally spaced mounting openings 74 within the card holder 24. The dome serves to prevent interference with rotation of the card indicator 58 and, by virtue of the opening 76 near the apex thereof also permits mounting of a personality figure '78 therein for-purposes of decoration or other use to be described hereinafter.

A personal item box 79 is provided for mounting within an opening 79a within the dome 70 for use and for a purpose to be described hereinafter.

A compass 80, for use in directional orientation of the selector 10 is removably mounted within an opening 82 in the top wall 14 of the base 12 and, if desired, may be replaced with an ornament of generally circular or other configuration.

The motor 44 is powered by dry cells D which are removably mounted within a battery clip 84 which is attached to the base 12 by threaded bolts 86 being attached thereto and passing through two openings 88 in the top wall 14. The bolts are fastened to the base 12 by nuts 90 which are threaded thereon. The electrical energy of the dry cells D is led therefrom by conductors 92b, 94b, 92c, 940 from opposite ends of the battery clip 84. The conductors 92c, 940 are each connected in series with the motor 44 and with respective single pole, single throw switches 96, 97 which may be of the push button variety for completing the electrical circuit through conductors 92a, 940 respectively and usable in energizing the motor 44 in opposite directions.

FIG. 4 shows an alternate embodiment of a card holder 98 which is generally toroidal in shape and which has a top wall 100 connecting the top parts of radially inner and outer generally cylindrical walls 102, 104. The inner cylindrical wall 102 includes a generally circular hub 105 attached thereto having a central opening therein for passage of the shaft 46 therethrough to drive the card holder 24 in a manner to be described hereinafter. A plurality of generally radially extending equidistant circumferentially spaced plane openings 106 appear within the walls 100, 102, 104 and are usable for mounting cards C in a generally upstanding attitude with respect to the card holder 98.

FIG. 4 also shows an alternative drive means generally designated by the reference numeral 108 for concurrently imparting rotational motion to the card holder 98 and an indicator 58 both of which are ar- In the embodiment shown in FlG. 4, the motor M receives power from a source (not shown) and is connected to two single pole, single throw, push button switches similar to the push buttons 96, 97 shown in F108. 1 and 2. The output shaft 110 of the motor M carries a pulley 112 and a gear 114 fixed thereto which rotate in the same direction as the shaft 110.

60 ranged for opposite rotation with respect to the base The pulley 112 is connected by drive belt 113 to pulley 116 fixed to the lower end of a shaft 118 which is journalled in a bearing 120 carried in a cantilever support plate 122 fixed to the base 12. The upper end of the shaft 118 has a pulley 124 fixed thereto which is connected via a drive belt 126 to a pulley 128 which is journalled on a shaft 130 which is fixed to the base 12 in any convenient manner (not shown). The pulley 128 coacts with the card holder 98 to drive the card holder in a rotational direction which is opposite to the direction of rotation of the pulley 128.

The shaft 130 is rotated by a gear 134 fixed thereto which is in mesh with the gear 114 fixed to the drive shaft 110 of the motor M.

By virtue of the meshing of gears 114, 134, the shaft 130 turns in a rotational direction which is opposite to the direction of rotation of the output shaft 110 and consequently, the indicator 58 which is fixed to the shaft 130 turns in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the output shaft 110. The nature of the power transmission to the card holder 98 described hereinbefore causes the card holder 98 to rotate in the same direction as the output shaft 110. The result is that the indicator 58 and the card holder 98 rotate in opposite directions with respect to one another and with respect to the base 12.

FIG. 5 shows an alternative embodiment for a card holder 136 which may be a coiled spring 137 or the like and which includes a plurality of spaces 138 each of which is adapted for removably mounting a card C therein. The spring 136 is attached to a turntable 140 which includes a central opening therein for passage of a power-supplying shaft therethrough on the end of which indicator 58 is mounted in much the same manner as described hereinbefore. The turntable 140 and the indicator 58 may be driven in any manner discussed hereinbefore or' hereinafter as long as the indicator 58 and the card holder 136 are driven in rotationally opposite directions.

F IG. 6 shows an alternative embodiment of a means usable for driving any of the card holders of the present invention, here specifically shown being connected to the card holder 98. A motor M and single pole, single throw push button switches 96, 97 are shown schematically represented and in circuit with a source of electromotive force D with the motor output shaft 144 shown carrying a gear 146 attached thereto.

The gear 146 is attached by means of a drive belt 148 to a gear 150 which rotates in the same rotational direction as the output shaft 144 of the motor M. The gear 150 drives the card holder 98 in the same direction of rotation as the gear by a shaft 152 fixed thereto also being fixed to the card holder 98. Any well known gear or other connection may be used to connect the shaft to an indicator 58 to effect opposite counterrotation between the indicator 58 and the card holder 98 similar to the rotation described hereinbefore. The direction of rotation of the motor may be changed depending on which of the switches 96, 97 is closed.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an indicating device generally designated by the reference numeral 154 which may contain a key for use in one or more of the card games for which the present invention may be used.

The indicating device 154 includes a cylinder 156 which is axially mounted on a shaft 158 which is, in turn, journalled in brackets 160, 162 on opposite ends thereof. The brackets 160, 162 are, in turn, attached to the underside of the top wall 14 by fasteners such as screws 164, 166 or the like. The indicating device 154 carries indicia thereon which may be changed accord ing to the card game being played and which are visible from the top wall 14 through an opening 168 therein which is covered over by a dome 170 made of transparent material such as plastic or the like. An actuator wheel 172 is coaxially fixed to the shaft 158 and is of larger diameter than the cylinder 156. Due to the greater diameter of the actuator wheel 172 it projects through an opening 174 in the top wall 14 and is therefore usable to rotate the cylinder 156 to provide for selective viewing of the indicia thereon through the opening 168 in the top wall 14.

FIG. 9 illustrates an alternative embodiment for a support and drive arrangement for the card holder and card indicator of the present invention. Specifically, a rotatable card holder 200 substantially similar to the rotatable card holder 98 shown in. FIG. 4, is mounted on a generally circular hub 202 which includes a central opening 204 therein. The circular hub 202 is fixed to a mounting hub 206 by being fixed to a flange 208 thereof by fastening means such as a mounting screw 210 which passes through an opening 212 in the circular hub 202 and mates with threaded opening 214 in the flange 208.

The mounting hub 206 includesa generally cylindrical section 216 which is sized to fit within an opening 218 within a lower mounting hub 2.20. Lower mounting hub 220 may be fixed to the base of the game in any conventional manner (not shown). The mounting hub 206 includes a hollow card holder rotator shaft 222 fixed thereto by any convenient means (not shown) such as by being pinned thereto. The card holder rotator shaft 222 passes through an opening 224 within the lower cylindrical section 226 of the lower mounting hub 220 and is fixed at its lower section to a geared drive wheel 228 in any conventional manner (not shown) such as by being pinned thereto.

The lower end of the card holder rotator shaft 222 is placed over a member 230 which is sized to be inserted therein to steady the lower portion thereof. The member 230 includes a central opening 232 for a purpose to be described hereinafter. v

A retaining clip 234 firmly mounts in a recess 236 on the card holder rotator shaft 222 for aid in positioning the elements. A washer 238 is sized to accept the card holder rotator shaft 222 therein and is positioned to rest within the lower section of the opening 218 in the lower mounting hub 220. A bearing 240 also has an opening sized to accept passage therethrough of the card holder rotator shaft 222 and is positioned above the washer 238 within the lower mounting hub 220. A washer 242 is sized to accept the rotator shaft 222 and is likewise positioned above the bearing 240. The lower portion of the cylindrical section 216 of the mounting hub 206 is therefore journalled within the lower mounting hub 220 and the rotation thereof is aided by the bearing 240 and the washers 238, 242.

A card indicator 244, similar to card indicator 58, includes a central opening 246 therein which is sized to accept a card indicator rotator shaft 248. The shaft 248 includes a recess 250 therein which accepts a retaining clip 252 to retain the card indicator 244 on the shaft 248 once the indicator is placed with the shaft protruding through the opening 246 and the retaining clip 252 The shaft 248 is sized to pass through washers 256,

258 which are positioned on either side of a bearing 260 which is also sized to receive the shaft 248 thereby providing rotation and support for the card indicator 244. The shaft 248 passes through a central opening 262 in the mounting hub 206, passes through the hollow card holder rotator shaft 222, through the central opening 232 in the member 230 and is fixed to lower driven pulley 264 in any convenient manner (not shown) such as by being pinned thereto.

The apparatus which has been described and is illustrated in FIG. 9, when assembled, permits independent rotation of the indicator 244 with respect to the rotatable card holder 200. The bearings 240a and 240b, and the washers 240e, 240a and 24042 associated therewith aid in support and rotation of the shafts 222 and 248.

tance switches 272 274 in circuit therewith respectively to permit reversal of the direction of the rotations of shaft 276 of the motor M" at varying speeds in the conventional manner when actuated to connect the motor M" to the source of the electrical power not shown.

The motor shaft 276 includes fixed thereto a drive pulley 278 and a geared drive wheel 280. A drive belt 282 is fastened about the drive pulley 278 and is also fastened about the driven pulley 264 for directly driving said driven pulley 264 in the same direction of rotation as the shaft 276 of the motor M.

Gear teeth 284 on the drive wheel 280 mesh with gear teeth 286 on the driven wheel 228 to drive said wheel 228 in a direction of rotation opposite to that of the direction of rotation of the shaft 276.

As the shafts 222 and 248 are respectively fixed to the driven wheels 228 and 264, the driven wheels 228, 264 are driven in opposite directions with respect to one another by the single motor M.'An adjusting screw 250 is brought to bear against the opening 252 in the base 254 to which the motor M is attached to aid in maintaining the proper amount of tension on the belt 282 and also maintain proper meshing of the gear teeth 284 of wheel 280 with the gear teeth 286 of wheel 228.

In operation of the embodiment of the card selector 10 shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the cards C to be used may first be mixed or shuffled in the conventional manner. The cards to be selected are then positioned in the playing card receptacle and support with either the face values exposed, or, depending upon the game to be played, with the face values hidden by the plane support section 32. The cards C to be played, no matter what the number thereof, are spaced equidistantly circumferentially about the card holder 24 and the play of the game commences following the usual rules thereof. Selection of cards for use in the game is made by use of the card selector 10 in the manner about to be described.

One of the single pole, single throw push button switches 96 or 97 is depressed thereby completing the electrical circuit between the dry cells D and the motor 44. The shaft 46 of the motor 44 rotates which thereby causes the card holder 24 and the indicator 58 to rotate oppositely with respect the the base 14 and with respect to each other by virtue of the interconnection with the motor described hereinbefore. After a period of time, the push button depressed, for example, push button 96, is released thereby breaking the electrical connection between the dry cells D and the motor 44 and deenergizing the motor. The other push button, for example, push button 97 is then depressed and the direction of rotation of the indicator 58 and the card holder 24 is reversed. The button 97 is then released and the card holder 24 and the indicatory 58 thus come to rest with respect to the base 12 and with respect to each other with the card holder 24 possibly coasting for a time due to its inertia.

At this juncture, the indicating end 60 of the indicator 58 will either point directly to a card C or will be in closer proximity to one card than another. The selected" card has thus been randomly selected by the use of the present invention due to the random interrelationship between the card holder 24 and the indicator 58 and is either removed from the receptacle and support 30 or is left in place depending upon the game being played and the rules thereof.

It will be noted that the use of the dome has permitted viewing of the indicator 58 and has simultaneously prevented accidental contact with the indicator 53 from impeding or impairing its function.

The embodiments of the card holder 98 and 136 shown in FIGS. 4 and 6, and 5, respectively operate in substantially the same manner as the card holder 24 with the exception that it is not necessary to use a playing card receptacle and support 30 with the card holders 98, I36. Consequently cards C mounted in card holders 98, 136 cannot be concealed from view unless the side walls 102, 104 of card holder 98 are high enough to conceal the faces of cards held by openings 106.

Further, the drive mechanisms shown in FIGS. 4 and 6 operate, through the interconnections described hereinbefore, to drive the respective card holders and indicators shown therein in opposite directions with respect to the base 12 and also in opposite directions with respect to each other in substantially the same manner as the drive mechanism shown in FIG. I. Naturally, any of the drive mechanisms shown and illustrated can be used with any of the embodiments of the card holders shown.

If the selector 10 illustrated is used for play of the game Tarot or Tarok, the personality figure 78 which is one of a number of such figures which may be stored in either of the compartments 20, 22, is selected by any convenient means which may include use of the selector and is inserted in the opening 76 in the dome 70. The personal article box 79 mounted on the dome 70 in the opening 79a therein, is used to contain a personal article of the individual whose fortune is being told if the selector 10 is used for fortune telling.

In operation, the embodiment shown in FIGS. 9 and 10 is operated by the motor M" being actuated to supply power to cause the shaft 276 to rotate with a preselected and variable speed in one direction or the other by use of one or the other of the variable resistor push buttons 272, 274. The rotating shaft 276 imparts rotation to the drive pulley 278 and the drive wheel 280 in the same rotational direction as the direction of its rotation.

The rotation of the drive pulley 278 is transferred, by the drive belt 282, to the driven pulley 264 which then rotates in the same direction as the shaft 276. The shaft 248 which is pinned or otherwise fixed to the driven pulley 264 therefore rotates in the same direction as the shaft 276 as does the card indicator 244 removably fixed to the top of the shaft 248. i

The rotation of the geared drive wheel 280 as noted hereinbefore is in rotation in the same direction as the shaft 276 by virtue of being fixed thereto. The gear teeth 284 of the drive wheel 280 are in meshing contact with the gear teeth 286 of the driven wheel 228 and, as a consequence of this meshing engagement, the driven wheel 228 rotates in a direction which is opposite from the direction of rotation of the drive wheel 2%. The shaft 222, by virtue of being fixed to the driven wheel 228 consequently rotates in the opposite direction from the direction of rotation of the shaft 248.

As a consequence of the aforementioned attachments, the rotatable card holder 200 fixed to the upper section of the shaft 222 as described hereinbefore rotates in a direction opposite to the direction of rotation of the shaft 248 to which the indicator 244 is fixed. The result of the interconnection and power distribution just described is that when either of the variable resistor push buttons 272, 274 are actuated at whatever variable setting has been predetermined, the card indicator 244 rotates in the opposite direction from the card holder 200. Naturally, once either of the actuated push buttons 272, 274 are released, the rotation of the card holder 200 and the indicator 244 will slow and stop.

As will be readily apparent to those skilled in the art, the invention may be used in other specific forms without departing from its spirit or essential characteristics. The present embodiments are, therefore, to be considered as illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the claims rather than by the foregoing description, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalence of the claims are therefore intended to be embraced therein.

What is-claimed is:

1. Apparatus for use in the selection of playing cards comprising a base. a card holder and a card indicator, said card holder including equidistant circumferentially spaced means for receiving a plurality of playing cards in a generally upstanding attitude and being mounted for rotation in at least one direction with respect to said base, said card indicator including a designating end and being mounted for rotation in a direction opposite to said one direction with respectto said base and being constructed and arranged with respect to said card holder in a manner that said designating end passes proximate to said playing card receiving means for use in designating a playing card, and means for concurrently imparting opposite rotational motion to said card holder and said card indicator with respect to said base.

2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said rotation imparting means includes a single motor, a single power source, a plurality of conductors, and at least two actuating switches, said actuating switches and said conductors being connected with respect to said motor and said power source to said motor so as to permit reversal of said power supply to said motor by selective actuation of said actuating switches.

3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said actuating switches include means for varying the amount of power from said power source which is supplied to said motor.

4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said card holder includes at least one card receptacle removably disposed therein which includes :means for receiving and supporting a card therein in a manner to selectively reveal and conceal a face thereof.

6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a gener ally transparent cover removably mounted on said card holder and rotatable therewith for protecting said card indicator and simultaneously permitting the viewing thereof through said cover.

7. Apparatus according to claim v3, including a plurality of figures each being representative of a personality, said cover being adapted for removably mounting one of said figures thereon.

8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including an article container, said cover being adapted for removably mountingsaid article container thereon proximate said figure.

9. Apparatus according to claim 8, said base being constructed and arranged to be supported on a table or the like, and including means for transporting said apparatus, said base being adapted to contain a compass for use in orienting said apparatus in a desired directional attitude. 

1. Apparatus for use in the selection of playing cards comprising a base, a card holder and a card indicator, said card holder including equidistant circumferentially spaced means for receiving a plurality of playing cards in a generally upstanding attitude and Being mounted for rotation in at least one direction with respect to said base, said card indicator including a designating end and being mounted for rotation in a direction opposite to said one direction with respect to said base and being constructed and arranged with respect to said card holder in a manner that said designating end passes proximate to said playing card receiving means for use in designating a playing card, and means for concurrently imparting opposite rotational motion to said card holder and said card indicator with respect to said base.
 2. The invention according to claim 1 wherein said rotation imparting means includes a single motor, a single power source, a plurality of conductors, and at least two actuating switches, said actuating switches and said conductors being connected with respect to said motor and said power source to said motor so as to permit reversal of said power supply to said motor by selective actuation of said actuating switches.
 3. Apparatus according to claim 2 wherein said actuating switches include means for varying the amount of power from said power source which is supplied to said motor.
 4. Apparatus according to claim 1 wherein said card holder includes at least one card receptacle removably disposed therein which includes means for receiving and supporting a card therein in a manner to selectively reveal and conceal a face thereof.
 5. Apparatus according to claim 1, said base being constructed and arranged to be supported on a table or the like, said apparatus being portable and including means for transporting said apparatus and at least one compartment therein usable for storage of playing cards or the like.
 6. Apparatus according to claim 1 including a generally transparent cover removably mounted on said card holder and rotatable therewith for protecting said card indicator and simultaneously permitting the viewing thereof through said cover.
 7. Apparatus according to claim 3, including a plurality of figures each being representative of a personality, said cover being adapted for removably mounting one of said figures thereon.
 8. Apparatus according to claim 7 including an article container, said cover being adapted for removably mounting said article container thereon proximate said figure.
 9. Apparatus according to claim 8, said base being constructed and arranged to be supported on a table or the like, and including means for transporting said apparatus, said base being adapted to contain a compass for use in orienting said apparatus in a desired directional attitude. 